[video] Nowadays it is only the unreadable that occurs

[depicted]

[Dorian posts from his Fire Sector suite, a transcription of some pages of books he found in the Emperor's library in hand. The transcription is, of course, in the local language, and that is why he speaks]

In the interest of actually being able to read anything useful we might come across, rather than puzzling over it like it's the Voynich manuscript, I thought it might be prudent to attempt to gather together the work of those of us who have been trying to crack the language. I know there are at least a few—if there are resources to be shared, then we may all make a bit more progress. [He has been working on this for some time, and it is audible in every stubborn syllable.] At the very least, it can't possibly hurt.

Comments

[virginprice]

No, but sometimes honesty is a greater kindness than any words meant to comfort. [So, Dorian can just have his gratitude anyway.]

[depicted]

[Dorian is not going to dismiss the idea twice. Instead, he replies with half a smile.] We have pretty different philosophies, I think. I'll accept any kind of artifice, as long as it's beautiful. Honesty often acts an excuse for ugliness, at least where I'm from.

[Mark. He is thinking of you.]

[virginprice]

If honesty is used as an excuse, then is it truly honest? It veils the true purpose of the so-called honest one, and so it is a lie. [Alcuin sighs.]

It is not that I have anything against lies- I have surely known them too intimately to reject them. But honesty is... refreshing.

[depicted]

[Dorian himself isn't completely removed from that idea. There have been times, days and months—whole years, even—when all he has craved is some drop of honesty, some sense of real, and his searches have taken him across the world and through the social spheres, all the way down to those base pleasures and pains that best link humans to the society of their ancestors. When only the sordid, the vulgar, or the agonizing has seemed to truly exist.]

[However, he has lately come from a time and place that is far too honest, and for all his claims about enjoying the openness and freedom of the 21st century might be a little overstated.]

I'm guessing the part of D'Angeline culture you were involved in tended to prefer deception and double meaning.

[virginprice]

Anafiel was much involved in the intrigues surrounding the royal family, and thus my foster-sister and I were as well. Yes, there was deception enough to choke on.

[And he practiced it himself, quite faithfully- not lying in words as often as he did in practice... and since he lied very often with his tongue, it can be imagined that his whole life was a lie.]

[depicted]

[Dorian's distaste is audible.] Courtly machinations. No wonder you're happy for a little honesty. That isn't even fun. [Been there, done that, found it horrible and gross, never tried it again.]

[virginprice]

No, it wasn't. But it was what he needed to do. [And so Alcuin did it for and with him.]

[depicted]

It is, fortunately, a necessity no more. And the people here are, on a whole, very frank. [Super honesty is super weird.]

[virginprice]

I had noticed that. It's quite refreshing. [It is a little weird, but he's glad to be done with it.]